


Highly Recommended

by eadunne2



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Arguing, Donna is Donna, Ficlet, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, One Shot, Seriously tho, Short, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-27 04:31:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9964520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eadunne2/pseuds/eadunne2
Summary: When he reaches out to take the envelopes, Harvey doesn’t let go right away.“Careful,” he says softly. “I was honest.”“Is that a bad thing?”Harvey laughs, so it’s odd that it sounds like it hurts. “Not for you, kid."





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's been warming up in Chicago. Here's fluff to tide you over while we wait for Spring and for me to finish up some other things for ya. 
> 
> <3

“Hey,” Mike says casually one morning, dropping onto the couch and flipping open a file. “Can you write me a letter of recommendation?”

There’s nothing but silence in the room - No typing or tapping of a pen or even breathing, which is strange. Harvey’s been loud and clear with his behavior, but maybe he didn’t think Mike had the balls.

“Anywhere in particular?” he asks calmly.

Mike shrugs. “I’ve been thinking about investment banking. Learned enough about M and A I’d guess.”

“Sure.”

The continuing silence convinces Mike to look up In a way no amount of argument could have. Harvey has no facial expression, not anger or sadness, though a muscle twitches in his jaw, and there’s something strange about the way he’s sitting, tight and too still.

“Harvey?” he asks softly. “Can you?”

Shaking himself, Harvey nods. “Sure. Should be done before you leave.”

“Cool. thanks.”

He nods curtly. “You’re welcome. Now get.”

“Right.” It wasn’t like he was expecting some dramatic last supper. A few paces past Donna’s desk he imagines the sound of glass shattering, and when he whirls around, Harvey’s standing, fists clenched to his sides, deep inhales shifting his shoulders, but he’s facing the window. There’s no way to tell -

“What did you do?” she asks, soft, no judgement.

“It’s time.”

Years of friendship. Why can’t he look at her?

“I don’t think that’s true, hon.”

“Donna, it’s my job to figure out what he wants, and a way to make it happen. As far as I’m concerned, this is one of the easiest tasks I’ve been assigned. I’ve got plenty of experience,” he adds bitterly.

“Task?”

“He’s been pretty obvious about it. You must’ve noticed.”

“What is it you think he wants from you?”

“To disappear.”

Like his voice from his throat. Like his vision swimming in tears. Like his heart, vanishing into someone who never knew they stole it.

“Mike…”

“I’ve got work to finish up.” Under normal circumstances he’d never interrupt her, but they probably won’t see each other much after this, so there’s less danger, now.

He stays late, finishing piles and piles of proofing and research, hoping to be done as soon as possible. A quick escape is the best one. Ripping off the bandage. The wound’s not yet healed, but Mike’s used to blood.

“Here.”

He looks up into the dim light of the empty pen and puts down his pen. Harvey’s holding out a stack of envelopes.

“Five copies. I doubt you’ll need ‘em all, but just in case.”

“Th-Thanks.” God he’ll miss those eyes. That smile. The way he feels almost whole, and more than real in this man’s presence. “I appreciate it.”

When he reaches out to take the envelopes, Harvey doesn’t let go right away.

“Careful,” he says softly. “I was honest.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Harvey laughs, so it’s odd that it sounds like it hurts. “Not for you, kid.”

And then he let’s go. Turns away. Is nothing but a silhouette in the doorway when Mike manages to say, “Hey! Harvey.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For all of this.”

The shadow nods. “Yeah. Good luck, Mike.”

The last email gets sent at eleven thirty, and Mike's home in his shitty apartment by midnight. He’s out of his suit by twelve twelve, and at twelve eighteen, he curls onto the windowsill with a beer. He can’t stop looking at the edges of paper folded and sticking out from the flap of his bag. Harvey’d said he wouldn’t need all five. Mike doesn’t really care where he ends up. The next time he blinks he’s back on the sill, beer and letter open, and it’s not until he spills an amber drop onto the high quality paper that he realizes his hands are shaking.

“To Whom It May Concern,

Michael Ross is the most brilliant man I’ve ever met, and the most diligent worker I have ever employed. I regret that his good-heartedness may have rubbed off on me, making it much harder to do my job while also making me much better at it. He is creative and thorough and remarkable:; Good with people, calm in difficult situations, and loyal to a fault. I have the utmost confidence in his abilities, wherever he chooses to go next.

Feel free to contact me with any questions in regards to Mr. Ross’s credentials, but I assure you, hiring him will be the best professional and personal decision you ever make. It certainly was for me.

He asked to leave. I wouldn’t have let him go for anything less.

Sincerely,  
Harvey Specter”

Mike lets out a stream of curses, and then he’s out the door without his coat or keys or good sense, but he’s got a sheet of high gloss paper clutched between his palm and the bike handle.

“Mike?” Harvey opens the door sleepily,  
dressed in boxers and tee shirt, and it’s a testament to how worked up Mike is that that doesn’t stop him. “What are you -”

“What the fuck is this?” he shouts, brandishing the crumpled text.

Harvey looks around the hallway then grabs Mike’s arm, pulling him into the apartment. “Jesus. I have neighbors you know.”

“Fuck ‘em! What is this?”

“It looks like trash,” Harvey murmurs, confused.

“Is it? It’s the letter of rec you wrote for me.”

He stills, and let's go of Mike's arm. “You read it.”

“Yeah.”

“Then you know what it is. What’s the confusion?” His voice gets softer as he turns away to pace.

“The confusion,” Mike shouts at his boss’s back. “Is, ‘He asked to leave. I wouldn’t have let him go for anything less.’ I’m pretty sure it’s bad form to lie on legal documents.”

“I didn’t lie. I told you that.”

“But th - this isn’t, that’s not -” Helpless, he lets the anger go and unclenches his fists. “I was just - You’ve been pushing me away for weeks,” he finally murmurs as his fingers carefully unwrinkle a corner. “Months.” When Harvey says nothing, he protests again, “You have.”

Harvey says something into the hand he’s got over his own mouth, but Mike can’t understand him. “What?”

“You -”

“Are you telling me I’m wrong?”

“Yes!” Harvey's voice breaks. “No, I - Jesus fucking Christ, Mike.”

They’re both frozen on opposite sides of the room, and Harvey, for all his bravery, doesn’t move to continue. “I don’t want you to go. I thought...goddamnit, kid. It’s kind of hard to do performance reviews on a man you’re in love with.”

Mike’s jaw drops open. “You’re a menace.”

Harvey lets his hands drop to his sides. “I know.”

“You seriously -”

“I didn’t want -”

“For months -”

“You to freak out -”

“Well you fucked up, Harvey. This is me, freaking out!”

“I know. I’m sorry. It won’t effect - I meant what I said in the letter, any prospective employers - Mike I’ll do everything in my power to help you find the best goddamn job - What are you doing?”

Mike’s shredding the letter, end to end, and again. “I already have the best job.” Harvey’s face lights up then shutters again as Mike adds, “But I'm gonna need to rewrite my contract.”

“Ok?” he says cautious and nervous, increasingly so as Mike closes in. “What -?”

The fabric of Harvey's shirt is soft as Mike fists his fingers in it, pulling them together. “Well, there's this bullshit about relationships in the workplace. It's gonna have to go.”

“Done,” Harvey replies breathlessly. “Anything else?”

Mike shakes his head, grinning. “Not unless you somehow manage to avoid fucking kissing me already.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come visit me at seasless.tumblr.com. 
> 
> <3


End file.
